On This Day: July 19

In the mood for a good movie? Some toe-tapping music? A thrilling book? ON THIS DAY will lead you to new possibilities every day, tied to interesting moments from history and popular culture. Whether it’s streamable and downloadable music and film, e-books and e-audio, or physical books and DVDs, we hope you’ll find something to enjoy as you pick up a few bits of history each day.

On this day in 1894, Percy Spencer was born. Spencer was an engineer at Raytheon, working on advanced radar technology for the US government during World War II. As he stood in front of one radar device, he noticed that the chocolate bar in his pocket had softened. Exploring that phenomenon led Spencer to invent the microwave oven. It would take 20 years for the technology to become small enough, and inexpensive enough, for the average home, but today, the microwave is a standard part of the home kitchen. In Not Your Mother's Microwave Cookbook, Beth Hensperger offers recipes that will take you beyond just reheating leftovers and boiling water; it's available as an e-book at OverDrive, or in print.

On this day in 1941, Vikki Carr was born. Carr's biggest pop hit came early in her career, with the 1967 song "It Must Be Him." She would spend the next decade exploring a variety of musical styles, including country and jazz. In the 1980s and 1990s, she recorded primarily Spanish-language music, and had great success in the United States and throughout Central and South America. The Ultimate Collectionis focused mostly on the early English-language part of Carr's career; it's available for streaming at Hoopla.

And on this day in 1963, Garth Nix was born. Nix is the author of more than two dozen fantasy novels for children and young adults. He says that readers often assume that his name is a pseudonym "because it sounds like the perfect name for a writer of fantasy," but it is his actual name. Nix's "Old Kingdom" series begins with Sabriel, in which the title character is called upon to rescue her father from the land of Death. Sabriel is available as an e-book or e-audio at OverDrive, in print, or as an audiobook.

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Through its Central Library and 72 branches, the Los Angeles Public Library provides free and easy access to information, ideas, books and technology that enrich, educate and empower every individual in our city's diverse communities.

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Join a “Friends” group. There is a “Friends of the Library” group for most branch libraries and departments of the Central Library. Friends groups raise money for improvements to their library through memberships, used book sales and other activities. For more information click here or talk to your local librarian.

Join the Library Foundation of Los Angeles. The Library Foundation is a non-profit organization that raises funds for Library enhancement programs such as adult and early literacy, children and teen reading clubs, technology, and cultural programs. Foundation members receive a variety of benefits with their membership. For more information, see http://www.lfla.org.

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